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GM DESCRIPTION: NARRATION OR CONVERSATION?
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<blockquote data-quote="Bedrockgames" data-source="post: 7626139" data-attributes="member: 85555"><p>For me it boils down to a few things: </p><p></p><p>I like to be surprised as the GM</p><p></p><p>I don't like having the feeling that instead of running a session, I could just hand my players my notes and largely get the same result</p><p></p><p>I was very, very unhappy running sessions in the 3E era under the predominant adventure structure (the style of adventure built around Encoutner Levels and planned out storylines, and the stuff you found in Dungeon at the time). This got worse the more things like wish lists and builds crept into the game, where it felt like it was all about reaching some pre-ordained destination. So I went back to the early stuff: the 1E DMG, my old Ravenloft books, stuff I'd heard about and played but never delved into deeply (like HARN), and a lot of the OSR discussion and blogs (as well as other stuff being talked about at the time). This led me to really think through what I want in play and what I don't want. One thing I don't want to do is allow prep to get in the way of players spontaneously doing things in the setting. </p><p></p><p>I love having settings and adventures with living moving parts. The NPCs are not sitting there waiting in a room to dramatically stand when the players enter: they are pursuing their agenda and reacting. Groups and organizations are planning and moving even as the players do their thing. </p><p></p><p>I don't think in terms of events. I avoid this. I think in terms of NPCs, groups, etc. Events arise because people coordinate and take action. So I avoid thinking things like "wouldn't it be cool if they were confronted by the bad guy at this ancient temple". Instead I try to think of what the bad guy would be doing because sometimes that leads me in directions I wouldn't otherwise expect (like seeking to work with the PCs instead of dramatically confronting them). At least in terms of human based events (obviously sometimes a meteor just needs to fall out of the sky and shake things up).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bedrockgames, post: 7626139, member: 85555"] For me it boils down to a few things: I like to be surprised as the GM I don't like having the feeling that instead of running a session, I could just hand my players my notes and largely get the same result I was very, very unhappy running sessions in the 3E era under the predominant adventure structure (the style of adventure built around Encoutner Levels and planned out storylines, and the stuff you found in Dungeon at the time). This got worse the more things like wish lists and builds crept into the game, where it felt like it was all about reaching some pre-ordained destination. So I went back to the early stuff: the 1E DMG, my old Ravenloft books, stuff I'd heard about and played but never delved into deeply (like HARN), and a lot of the OSR discussion and blogs (as well as other stuff being talked about at the time). This led me to really think through what I want in play and what I don't want. One thing I don't want to do is allow prep to get in the way of players spontaneously doing things in the setting. I love having settings and adventures with living moving parts. The NPCs are not sitting there waiting in a room to dramatically stand when the players enter: they are pursuing their agenda and reacting. Groups and organizations are planning and moving even as the players do their thing. I don't think in terms of events. I avoid this. I think in terms of NPCs, groups, etc. Events arise because people coordinate and take action. So I avoid thinking things like "wouldn't it be cool if they were confronted by the bad guy at this ancient temple". Instead I try to think of what the bad guy would be doing because sometimes that leads me in directions I wouldn't otherwise expect (like seeking to work with the PCs instead of dramatically confronting them). At least in terms of human based events (obviously sometimes a meteor just needs to fall out of the sky and shake things up). [/QUOTE]
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